Knights legend and current consultant Andrew Johns has stressed that although Kalyn Ponga is, without doubt, Newcastle's most valuable player, the 23-year-old must be unshackled if the Hunter side is to succeed in 2022.
Having been brought back into McDonald Jones Stadium during the off-season to work with Adam O'Brien's crop of playmakers, Johns has seen what the co-captain is capable of up close.
Speaking on Wide World of Sports' 'Freddie and the Eighth' podcast, the rugby league immortal stressed the secrets to squeeze every ounce of success out of the Origin star.
"When things are bobbing up – whether it's on the right, in the middle or on the left – he's got to be getting the ball in his hands,"
"He's our best player, he's the most influential player we've got, most creative.
"The more ball he gets the better the side's going to go."
Having earned the right to lead from the front throughout the upcoming season, Ponga will follow in the footsteps created by the likes of Harragon, Buderus and Johns himself.
Despite recent conjecture surrounding the Port Headland-born product's future in Newcastle, Johns was also happy to reveal that he was a fan of Ponga's elevation.
"I think it's a great move for Kalyn, great move for the club," Johns said.
"I think he can take his game to a whole new level. I think he's still got – I won't say a lot – improvement in him.
"I think the players around him are understanding what he's trying to do."
Ponga will lead the Knights onto the SCG on Saturday afternoon to start their 2022 campaign against the Chooks.
Kick-off in the Harbour City clash is scheduled for 3:00pm AEDT.
